Interview with Salvatore A. Maglie, May 25, 1981

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Mr. Sal Maglie for the A.B. Chandler Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie describes his early career in baseball, as well as his activities during World War II.

Keywords: Buffalo (N.Y.); Buffalo Bisons; Defense plants; Elmira (N.Y.); Jamestown (N.Y.); Jersey City Giants; Pitching; Records; Relief pitching; Scouting; Scouts; Spring training

Subjects: Baseball players; Basketball; Major League Baseball (Organization); Minor league baseball.; New York Giants (Baseball Team); Pitchers (Baseball); Rookie baseball players; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Um, were you pretty excited when you got called up?

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks briefly about his experience playing for the Giants when he first entered the Major Leagues. He also talks about his manager Mel Ott.

Keywords: Dolf Luque; ERA; Earned run average; Horace Stoneham; Pitching; Preacher Roe

Subjects: Baseball managers; Cuba.; Major League Baseball (Organization); Ott, Mel, 1909-1958; Pitchers (Baseball); Zabala, Adrian, Sr.

Partial Transcript: Okay. How 'bout '46?

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about why he ultimately chose to play with the Mexican League, even though he was initially reluctant. He also talks about the Pasquel brothers, who were the organizers and main financial backers of the league.

Keywords: Alfonso Pasquel; Bonuses; Frank Graham; George Hausmann; Mexican League; Money; Pasquel brothers; Pitches; Pitching; Roy Zimmerman; Salaries; Sports Illustrated; Spring training; Wives

Subjects: Gardella, Daniel L.; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Mexico.; Nuevo Laredo (Mexico).; Pasquel, Jorge, 1907-1955; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Let me, let me backtrack again a little bit more. Um, spring training that year with the Giants...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks more about his spring training with the Giants, and his frustration that he never was given a chance to pitch during that time. He also talks briefly about team owner Horace Stoneham.

Keywords: Baseball trades; Batting practice; Dolf Luque; Equipment; Horace Stoneham; Miami (Fla.); Pitching; Player trades; Spring training; Trades

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players; Durocher, Leo, 1906-1991.; New York Giants (Baseball Team); Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Um, you had had a meeting... um, do you recall the, the, the clubhouse meeting that you...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about a meeting that was convened by Mel Ott to talk to the players about the Mexican League and to try to persuade them not to join it. He briefly mentions two other Giants players who played for the Mexican League.

Keywords: Alfonso Pasquel; Ernie Lombardi; George Hausmann; Horace Stoneham; Meetings; Mexican League; Peer pressure; Roy Zimmerman

Subjects: Baseball players; Catchers (Baseball); Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Ott, Mel, 1909-1958; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Now we're, we're talking about a time of course in baseball where there is no minimum salary.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about baseball players' typical salaries in the 1940s and 1950s, and how difficult it was to get a raise. He also tells a story about Eddie Brannick.

Keywords: Dick Bartell; Eddie Brannick; First basemen; General managers; Groceries; Lawyers; Marriage; Mexican League; Minimum salaries; Money; Pitching; Salaries; Spring training

Subjects: Baseball managers; Cuba.; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; New York Giants (Baseball Team); Ott, Mel, 1909-1958; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Did you get any reaction from, from the Giants players, any the, any of you, friends on the team when you left?

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about how dissatisfied many Major League players were with their salaries, especially those who played for the Giants and Cardinals. He also recounts a conversation that he had with Danny Gardella when he was thinking about playing for the league.

Keywords: Ace Adams; Contracts; George Hausmann; Horace Stoneham; Illness; Mexican League; Money; Negotiations; Nervous breakdowns; Pension plans; Phone calls; Player pension plan; Roy Zimmerman; Salaries; Spanish language; Stinginess; Wives

Subjects: Breadon, Sam, 1876-1949; Gardella, Daniel L.; Lanier, Max; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; New York Giants (Baseball Team); Pensions.; St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team); Zabala, Adrian, Sr.

Partial Transcript: In that meeting that Mel Ott held, um, I also read in the account by Graham that, uh, one of the pitchers...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about Jorge Pasquel, his opulent wealth, and his generosity. He also talks about playing for the Pericos de Puebla, and some of the other American players he played against at that time.

Keywords: Bill Voiselle; Bobby Avila; Cars; Catholics; Clothes; Dinners; Driving; Hotel Royal; Hotel managers; Hotel owners; Pericos de Puebla; Politics; Presidents; Servants; Sunstroke; Wardrobe

Subjects: Aleman, Miguel, 1905-1983.; Gardella, Daniel L.; Lanier, Max; Mexico City (Mexico).; Olmo, Luis, 1919-; Ott, Mel, 1909-1958; Pasquel, Jorge,1907-1955; Puebla de Zaragoza (Mexico).; Tampico (Tamaulipas, Mexico).

Partial Transcript: ...And, and, and what kind of conditions, I mean, um, where would you stop on the way? What would you...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about his learning to speak Spanish while he was in Mexico, and how he felt that it was much easier for him because he was already familiar with Italian. He also describes several of the baseball parks that he played at in Mexico.

Keywords: Ball parks; Baseball fields; Cantinas; Clubhouses; Friends; Gophers; Italian language; Languages; Outfields; Refrigeration; Spanish language; Traveling

Subjects: Cuba.; Mexico City (Mexico).; Mexico.; Minor league baseball.; Monterrey (Mexico).

Partial Transcript: Were there any, were there any, any commercial-type ventures that you got in when you were at, at Puebla?

Segment Synopsis: Maglie describes several parks that he pitched in while playing in Mexico. He also tells how the ball reacts differently when pitched at a high altitude, and how he had to learn to adjust his pitch accordingly.

Keywords: Advertisments; Air; Altitude; Baseball fans; Baseball fields; Baseball games; Baseballs; Competition; Curve balls; Endorsements; Fans; Fastballs; Fences; Heat; Infields; Milwaukee (Wis.); Outfields; Pitches; Pitching; Railroad tracks; Sliders; Tracks

Subjects: Baseball players; Pitchers (Baseball); Puebla de Zaragoza (Mexico).; San Luis Potosi (Mexico).; Tampico (Tamaulipas, Mexico).; Torreon (Coahuila, Mexico)

Partial Transcript: That whole season, and again I'm digressing, but in '56 you were with a couple different teams.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks briefly about his season in 1956, when he played for several teams. He talks about his manager, Dolf Luque. He also shares his reasons for not shaving as frequently as other players did at that time.

Keywords: Baseball fields; Baseball games; Baseball teams; Baseball trades; Competition; Dolf Luque; Home runs; Innings; Player trades; Shaving; Socialization; Writers

Subjects: All-Star Baseball Game.; Baseball players; Brooklyn Dodgers (Baseball Team); Cleveland Indians (Baseball Team); Ebbets Field (New York, N.Y.); Feller, Bob, 1918-2010; Mantle, Mickey, 1931-1995; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: So you, you cultivated, um, um, you know, the fact that you want other players to maybe be somewhat intimidated.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie describes his usual routine playing in Mexico, as well as how he traveled from game to game.

Keywords: Airplanes; Baseball games; Bull fighting; Bull fights; Buses; Cantinas; Churches; Dolf Luque; Driving; Espenoza; Friends; Intimidation; Mexican League; Practice; Respect; Restaurants; Saints; Sightseeing; Spending money; Traveling

Subjects: Durocher, Leo, 1906-1991.; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Mexico City (Mexico).; Mexico.; Puebla de Zaragoza (Mexico).; Tampico (Tamaulipas, Mexico).; Zabala, Adrian, Sr.

Partial Transcript: Um, what did, the air also did something, not only to your pitching, but it also did something to...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie elaborates on how air resistance has an effect on how a baseball is thrown and batted. He also talks about other Americans who played for the Mexican League, especially Danny Gardella.

Keywords: Ace Adams; Acrobats; Air resistance; Alex Carrasquel; Baseball bats; Baseballs; Death; Drummondville; Families; George Hausmann; Georgia; Golf balls; Harry Feldman; Learning; Max Lanier All-Stars; Miami (Fla.); Opera; Pitches; Pitching; Quebec League; Ray Berres; Receivers; Red Hayworth; Relief Pitchers; Roommates; Scoretakers; Singers; Zimmerman

Subjects: Baseball players; Catchers (Baseball); Cuba.; Gardella, Daniel L.; Lanier, Max; Major League Baseball (Organization); Mexico.; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Um, OK. How 'bout Nap Reyes?

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about more American players who played for the Mexican League. In particular, he talks about Ray Dandridge, and his inability to play for the Major Leagues due to his age.

Keywords: "Twinkletoes"; Age; Curve balls; Dolf Luque; Drummondville; English language; First base; Fred Martin; Golf; Jean-Pierre Roy; Lou Klein; Money; Montreal (Quebec); Nap Reyes; Pennant; Pitching; Roberto Estallela; Second base; Victor De La Cruz; Williamsport

Subjects: Baseball players; Brooklyn Dodgers (Baseball Team); Catchers (Baseball); Cuba.; Dandridge, Ray; Lanier, Max; Major League Baseball (Organization); Mexico.; New York Giants (Baseball Team); Olmo, Luis, 1919-; Outfielders (Baseball); Owen, Mickey; Pitchers (Baseball); Stephens, Vern, 1920-1968; Thomson, Bobby, 1923-2010; Zabala, Adrian, Sr.

Partial Transcript: Um, let me talk just a little bit about couple things that, that happened I think while you were there.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about Baseball Commissioner Chandler's ban of the Mexican League players, and how this limited where he was allowed to play for several years.

Keywords: Bans; Barnstorming; Baseball fans; Des Moines (Iowa); Exhibition games; Fans; Mexican League; Money; Salaries

Subjects: Baseball commissioners; Baseball players; Breadon, Sam, 1876-1949; Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; Lanier, Max; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Outfielders (Baseball); Owen, Mickey; Pasquel, Jorge, 1907-1955; Ruth, Babe, 1895-1948.

Partial Transcript: So you, now you played in Cuba then during the winter, uh, of '46 and '47.

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about playing winter ball in Cuba when he was playing for the Mexican League. He tells why he chose not to play in Mexico another year in 1948, and talks about barnstorming and playing for the Quebec League.

Keywords: Alex Carrasquel; Barnstorming; Baseball teams; Bonuses; Competition; Dirt floors; Floors; Food; Gas stations; George Hausmann; Golf; Phone calls; Quebec League; Reinstatement; Roy Zimmerman; Travel; Winter ball

Subjects: Baseball players; Cuba.; Gardella, Daniel L.; Mexico.; Owen, Mickey; Pitchers (Baseball); Zabala, Adrian, Sr.

Partial Transcript: Um, one question that, that's important to me, I'd like to, to ask you...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks about the suit that Gardella and several other players brought against baseball, and also states that he feels that Chandler's ban on Mexican League players was too harsh. He also describes his return to the New York Giants, and how some of the other players resented him for playing in the Mexican League.

Keywords: Gardella v. Chandler; Lawsuits; Money; Pitching; Resentment; Spring training; Stan Rojek

Subjects: Baseball players; Baseball team owners; Basketball; Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; Gardella, Daniel L.; Horace Stoneham; Lanier, Max; Minor league baseball.; Ott, Mel, 1909-1958; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Um, really, you had fantastic seasons after you came back...

Segment Synopsis: Maglie talks briefly about his success as a player after he was allowed to play Major League baseball again. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Baseball seasons; Fred Martin; Lou Klein; Mexican League; Seasons

Subjects: Baseball players; Durocher, Leo, 1906-1991.; Lanier, Max; Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Major League Baseball (Organization)